Sectional third-rail system of electric railways.



PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906.

0. J. KINTNER.

SEGTIONAL THIRD RAIL SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC RAILWAY$.

APPLICATION FILED OGT. 13, 1903. RENEWED JAN. 24. 1906.

INVENTOR WITNESSES: 16

UNITED STATES CHARLES J. KINTNER, OF NEW YORK, N; Y;

SECTIONAL THIRD-RAIL SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14:, 1906.

Application filed October 13, 1903. Renewed January 24, 1906. Serial No. 297,611.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES J. KINTNER, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have made a new and useful Invention in Sectional Third-Rail Sys toms of Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its objects, first, to provide means whereby any sectional third rail or conductor of a system of electric railways of the third-rail type may be connected to and disconnected from a current feeder or main through the agency of switching mechanism controlled or operated by electrical currents passing through the tram-rails and wheels and axles of the cars; second, to so arrange a double-track system of electric railways of the sectional third-rail type that the sectional third rails or conductors of either track may be connected to and disconnected from the current feeder or main through the agency of switching mechanism controlled by electrical currents passing through the wheels and axles and tram-rails of both tracks; third, to provide means for connecting any sectional third rail of a system of electric railways of the sectional third rail or conductor type with the current feeder or main by switching mechanism through the agency of currents passing through the wheels and axles and tram-rails of the system and to combine therewith automatic overnected directly to the pairs of sectional tram load or cut-out switches adapted to cut out any sectional conductor or third rail over which a car or train may be passing when the current delivered to the motors on board of said car or train becomes abnormal; fourth, to provide a system of electric railways of the sectional third-rail type with means for connecting the sectional third rails or conductors to and disconnecting them from the current feeder or main through the agency of switchmg mechanism controlled or operated by currents passing through the tram-rails and wheels and axles of the cars and said switching mechanism and to combine therewith means for preventing a sectional third rail in the rear of one over which a car or train is passing from being connected to the feeder until the preceding car shall have passed off the section in advance.

In electric railways of the sectional third rail or conductor type as heretofore devised the sectional third rails or conductors have been connected to the current feeder or main as a car or train passes over the road and disconnected therefrom either through the agency of mechanical means carried by the car or train or through the agency of a part of the working current acting upon electromagnets at definite points, dependent upon the length of the sectional third rails or conductors. Such systems, however, are open to the objection that in the use of mechanical means carried by the cars there is much wear and tear to the switching a paratus, and this type, as well as those in w ich the switches are controlled by a part of the working current, are both open to the objection that serious arcing often results at the switching terminals, and other defects are found to exist which in a measure preclude the successful use of such systems.

An electric-railway system of the sectional third-rail type has heretofore been devised in which both of the track-rails were divided into sections insulated from each other and double or duplex sectional third rails equal in length to such sectional track-rails were utilized in connection with an alternating current power-house generator connected to two current feeders or mains extending f wholly over the route to which were connected in turn in multiple-arc relation the primaries of converters, the secondary circuits of which were of relatively low resistance and included switching-electromagnets, the op posite ends of such secondaries being conor track rails and the armatures of the switching-magnets included in open circuit between the current-feeders and the pairs of. sectional third rails. posed to divide both tram or track rails into It has also been prosections and to connect the opposite ends thereof, respectively, with switching-electromagnets and the secondary coils of converters, the primaries of which were connected in multiple-arc relation with a high-potential circuit controlled or operated directly by tho power-house generator, the armatures of the switching-magnets being so arranged as tov connect sectional third rails to the current feeder or mam when a car was passing over the route, the wheels and axles of said cars short-circuiting the low-voltage. currents passing through the switching-magnets and the sectional track-rails. It has also been proposed to divide both tram or track rails into pairs of insulated sections and to include between such sectional track-rails switching- IOC electromagnets which are actuated or operated by low-voltage batteries carried one upon each car and so arranged that the circuit was closed from the batteries through the switching-magnets and the wheels and axles as the car passed from section to section. Such an arrangement necessarily contemplates the use of a large number of batteriesnamely, one for each car. It also necessitates the dividing of the track-rails into short sections not exceeding the length of the car, or, rather, the distance between any two pairs of trucks.

' r A sectional third-rail system has also been devised in which one of the track-rails is electrically continuous throughout its length and the other track-rail divided into sections corresponding in length with sectional third rails located between the track-rails, switching-el'ectromagnets being located in pairs in switch-boxes at the ends ofeach section and a battery carried by each car, so connected with the tram-wheels that when a car is standing upon a section the circuit is closed through the wheels and axles, the sectional track-rail, and the corresponding switchingmagnet, the current irom'the battery returning by the wheels and axles resting upon the continuous track-rail. Such a system necessitates the use of a portable battery upon each car or train and the use of two sets of switching devices in each switch-box in order to enable cars to travel in opposite directions orto back from one section to another, while with my improvement by locating the batteries beside the track, one for each section, I am enabled to utilize a single switch for each section no matter in which direction a car may be traveling.

My invention contemplates generically the utilization of the wheels and axles of a car or train and of the tram-rails themselves for operating the switches through the agency of electrical currents of such low voltage that there will be little or no leakage between the rails, the'circuit at all times being open for the switching apparatus except when a car or train is passing over any given section or part of the road. For the purpose of effecting this result I divide one of the tram-rails into sections of any convenient length, insulating the adjoining ends from each other in the same manner as is usually done with railway-signals which are operated by lowvoltage currents and electromagnetic apparatus controlled through the agency of such currents passing through the sectional tram-rails of the road and the wheels and axles of the cars, and I so connect the circuit with electromagnetic switching'devices that the sectional third rails or conductors are successively connected to and disconnected from the current feeder or main asthe cars or trains pass over the road, and I so arrange relation to the wheels and axles of each motor-car that the next sectional conductor in advance of a car is always connected to the current feeder or main before the currentcollectors or trolley-shoes leave the section last passed over, the rear car-wheels always leaving the section after the current-collector or shoe has passed from off the corresponding third rail, no matter in which direcin multiple directly with the power-house generator, safety mechanism being also illustrated, in connection with the track shown on the upper side of' the drawing, for preventing any car or train following a preceding car from coming into collision therewith,the lower portion of the drawing illustrating a modilied form of this invention in which local batteries located at intervals along the route are utilized to control the switches.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, in which like letters and numerals of ref-' erence represent like or e uivalent parts wherever used, (1 represents t e powerhouse dynamo or generator of usual type having its positive pole connected to a current feeder or main 4, extending over the road, and its negative pole connected to the outer tram or track-rails 1 1 of'a double-track system of railways, said outer tram or track rails being electrically continuous throughout the sys- I tem.

2 2 2 represent the inner tram or track rails which are divided into sections at proper intervals and insulated from each other at their ends in the same manner that the tram or track rails of steam-railways are now ordinarily divided for signaling purposes 3 3 3 represent sectional third rails of each track of the same length as the sectional tram-rails 2 2 2.

5 5 5 5 are normally open branch feeders connected on one side to switch-armature levers a a, held in their open positions by springs s 8 against backstops, as shown, so

that all of the sectional conductors 3 3 3 are normally dead or without current-potential.

p p p p are front contact-stops and 0 0 0 0 fuse-boxes inclosing overload or cut-out switches of any well-known form designed to automatically cut out of circuit the sectional third rails for an abnormal working current.

6 6 are low-resistance conductors elec- 6 5 the current-collectors or trolley-shoes with trically connected on one side to the outer magnets an.

track-circuits are closed, as is the case with the central section where the car is now located. A branch thereof is flowing from the tram or track rails and on the other to the l i i extreme right-hand motor-generator by way I l sectional tram or track rails.

to w w w and ff represent the wheels and axles of each car or train, and e a propelling electric motor located thereon. of the conductor 6, continuous track-rail 1, t trepresent the current-collectors or trolfront axle and wheels w w, sectional trackley-shoes, which are so located with relation rail 2, conductor 6, switch-magnet m, thereto each car or train that no matter in which by causing the armature-lever a of the right direction the same may be traveling the last hand switch to be drawn to its forward posipair of wheels will leave the end of the section into contact with the stationary contact tional tramra'ils after the last current colp, so that the working current is closed from lector trolley-shoe t has passed off the correthe power-house generator and feeder 4 by sponding sectional third rail or conductor. the branch feeder 5, automatic cut-out in the 7 7 are service-conductors connecting the box 0, armature-lever a, contact p, branch current-collectors or trolley-shoes t to the feeder 5, sectional third rail 3, trolleyshoes t controller for the motor 6. t, service-conductors 7 7, to the controller of 8 8 are the usual earth-wire circuits runthe motor 6, conductors 8, to the axles f f and ning from the motor 0 to the axles f and wheels w w on the car by way of the continuwheels w w, and hence to the common reous track-rail to the negative pole of the genturn tram or track rail 1. erator. Consequently the car continues to h h represent the motor parts of motoradvance from left to right so long as the congenerators located, preferably, in multipletroller is taking current. At the same time arc branch circuits 9 9, connected to the amultiple-arc branch of the working current feeder 4 and, through the conductors 6 6, to is closed from the rear end of the sectional the return tram or track rail 1. third rail 3, over which the car is passing by m m represent the sWitching magnets, way of conductor 10, safety-magnet n, conwhich are connected directly to the genera ductor 6, continuous track-rail 1 to the tor parts 9 of the motor-generators and the power-house generator, thus causing the continuous tram or track rail on one side and safety-magnet n to act upon the armaturethe corresponding sectional tram or track lever 'i in conjunction with the retractile rail on the other. spring 8, acting on the arm a, so that should a n n represent safety-magnets connected in car following the car shown upon the drawing circuit with the sectional third rails on one enter upon the next section in the rear and side and with the continuous tram or track close the low-voltage circuits to the switch rail on the other. ing-magnet m for that section the switch will a (1 represent the switch-armature levers, not be operated, and hence the following car which in this instance are pivoted at their will stop for lack of current.

The modified form of switch-control shown centers and are provided with short armature-levers i "L, having armatures normally in the lower half of the drawing is not prolocated in the magnetic field of the safetyvided with safety appliances for preventing rear-end collisions, and its operation is obvious, the left-hand switch being closed by reason of the presence of a car moving from right to left on the corresponding section, the local battery-current for that switch flowing from battery I) through contact 6, magnet m, the sectional and continuous track-rails 3 and 1, and wheels and axles of the car closes the current from feeder f through branch feeder 5, cut-out in box 0, switch-lever a, contact p, to sectional third rail or conductor 3, thence through the motor 6, as before, and wheels and axles w w of the car to the lower continuous track-rail 1 to the negative pole of the generator. Consequently the car may move in either direction and the sectional third rails be made alive or dead as it passes over the route and without arcing.

I do not limit my invention to the details of construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, as a number of the features thereof may be materially departed from and still come within the scope of my claims hereinafter made.

I believeit is broadly new with me to di- The lower part of the drawing illustrates the lower track with a car traveling from ri ht to left and with a modified system of switch-control in which the motorgenerators, hereinbefore described, are replaced by local batteries 1), one for each section, and included in normally open circuits with the corresponding sectional and continuous trackrails, the circuit relations thereof, with the accompanying sectional third rail to the feeder, being apparent on inspection of the drawing.

The operation of that part of the system connected with the upper track is as follows: A car is seen passing from left to right in the direction of the arrow. The motor parts it h of the motor-generators are receiving current from the positive pole of the power-house dynamo d by way of the current-feeder 4 in multiple-arc circuit through conductors 9 and 6 to. the continuous track-rail 1, connected to the negative pole thereof. The enerators g g of the motor-generators will b generate currents of low voltage when the ITO vide the third rail into insulated sections 3 3 3, one'of the track or service rails into corresponding sections 2 2 2, the othertrack-rail power-house d-ynamo,and to=combine therewith switching devices and low-voltage generators connected permanently in circuit with the sectionaltrack-rails and the continuous track-rail, which switching devices automatically'connect the current-feeder connected to the other pole of the power-house dynamo directly to the sectional third rails and disconnect them therefrom as a car passes over the route. I believe it is also new with me to combine'ina sectional thirdrail system low-voltage generators located at intervals alongthe routeand included in circuit with sectional track-rails and switching devices for connecting the sectional conductors in sequence to and-disconnecting them from the power-house generator and to combine therewith safety devices which prevent any sectional conductor from'being connected to the current-feeder or mainduring the time that'the next sectional conductor in advance isconnectedithereto, and-my claims are generic as to this feature.

I make no'claimin the present application to anelectric railway of the sectional thirdrail type having a series of sectional trackrails, a series of sectional thirdrails, a current feeder'or main, and aseries of switching devices included in circuit with the sectional tracl -rails-and electrical generators of relatively low voltage which are wholly-out of control of or disconnected from the powerhouse generator when'in operation, nor do I claim herein such'features in combination with'safety devices designed'toprevent rearend collisions, as'the sameare made1intpart the subject-matter ofa separate application iiled'by-me in the United States Patent Office onthe 5th day of December, H903, and

bearing Serial No. 183,882.

Having thus described my invention, what I" claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent of the United States, is-

1. An electric railway system embracing a current feeder or main; a series of sectional third'rails or conductors; a'line of sectional tram or track rails, and an electrically-continuous tram or'track rail; in combination with ries ofsectionaltram or track rails; an'electrically-continuous tram or track rail connected to one pole of the power-house generator ;:a series of sectional third railsand a series of switches included in low-voltage electrical circuits one for eachsection; together with a feeder or main connected to theother pole of the power-house generator and having normally open branchfeeder-circuits connected to thesectional third rails'or conductors and adapted to be closed by low-voltage currents passing through the wheels and axles of a car and thesectional and'continu- 'ous tram or track rails.

each track; in combination with electrical generators and electrically operated or controlled switches for each track so :arranged that thesame'are operated by-thepassage of cars throughthe agency of electrical currents passing through the track-rails and the wheels and axles ofa car'as it passesover the route,

the remaining track-rail of each track being electrically continuous throughout :its length and connected to the other pole of-the powerhouse generator.

4. In an electric-railway system'a current feeder or'main a series of sectional third-rails or conductorsrand a series of sectional tram or track rails electrically connected to the switches and to the other tram or trackrail which is electrically'continuous throughout its'lengthand connected to one1pole of the power-house generator, in combinationwith electrical generators located at intervals along the routeand having normally open circuit connections between the feederand the sectional thirdrails together withover load switches or cut-out devices located in circuit with the sectional third :rails.

5. In anelectric=railwaysystem acurrent feeder or main; aseries of sectionalithirdrails or conductors and switches for connecting the-same to and disconnectingthemfromthe current feeder or main; a series-of sectional tram or track ralls electrlcally connectedto the switches and to electrical :gen'eratorslocated at intervals along the route and an electrically-continuous tram or track rail connected to one pole of the power-house generator in combination with current-collectors carried by a'car'and-adapted to break' circuit with the last sectional thirdsrail passed'over before the'last pair ofwheels of=thecaror trainleaves the section, no matter in which direction it may be traveling.

6. In a system of electricrrailways a current feeder or main a series of sectional third rails or conductors; a continuous tram or track ra1l connectedto one pole of the powerhouse generator; a series of sectional tranr or track rails and a series of switches for connecting the sectional third rails to and disconnecting them from the feeder or main; said switches being included in circuit with the sectional track-rails and the continuous track-rail in combination with safety mechanism connected in circuit with the continuous tram or track rail when the corresponding third rail is made alive, the switches being all actuated by currents passing through the track-rails and the wheels and axles of a car as it passes over the route.

7. In an electric-railway system a current feeder or main; a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected there from, and a series of switches for connecting said sectional conductors to and disconnecting them from the current feeder ormain, said switches being controlled by electromagnets and low-voltage electrical generators connected in normally open sectional tram or track rail circuits and adapted to be closed by the wheels and axles of a car as it passes over the track in either direction; in combination with means for preventing a sectional third rail in the rear of one over which the car I is for the time being passing from being con- 8. In an electric-railway system a current feeder or main; a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally dead; electromagnetic switches for connecting the same to and disconnecting them from the current feeder or main; circuit-closing conductors for the switches adapted to make continuous electrical contact with the wheels of a car so long as it stands upon or moves over any section; in combination with a series of electrical generators, one for each section, included in circuit with the aforesaid circuit-closing conductors and accompanying switch-controlling magnets; together with a car provided with a propelling-motor, circuits and circuit connections, and a double or two-part current-collector located between the wheels of the car in such relation thereto that a continuous supply of current is afforded to the motor and each sectional third rail or conductor is disconnected from the feeder without arcing, substantially as described.

CHARLES J. KINTNER.

Witnesses:

JAMEs P. J. Monnrs,

M. F. KEATING. 

